Teen Interview: It Ain’t Over Until the Perfect Troll Face Sings

but Reader Paparazzi ~ my Q & A series featuring teen readers ~ must go on. I spend a lot of time inside the mind of fictional teens–writing and reading, so it’s great to get a little real YA world perspective to help with character inspiration or simply if you want to see what holds a teen’s interest.

It’s research, not stalking.

If you missed any previous interviews, click here or on the tab in the header above.

For this interview, I’ve cornered a teen close to home.

Meet Gavin, or as I have a habit of calling him, “G.”

G is sixteen. He runs cross-country and track, sings in his school’s chorus and a capella club and is famous on the internet.

Well, sort of.

Have you heard of trolling, or better yet seen this face before?

G is the number one image on Google for the perfect troll face.

A face only a mother could love . . .

but it’s hard to catch him NOT making faces:

I’m partial to this one:

A big hello to G!

So G, what makes you want to pick up a book to read?

It’s got to have something I can relate to.

What are you currently reading?

Moby Dick, for school.

Anything you relate to?

I don’t know, but reading this book is becoming AHABit.

I’m not sure if I believe you, but props on the pun.

What was the last book you read that wasn’t for school?

Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard

Do you ever re-read books?

Yup. I like to flip through the Guinness Book of World Records and the World Atlas.

What was your favorite book when you were younger?

Captain Underpants and Harry Potter

Favorite subject in school?

Spanish

Least favorite?

History

What would you like to learn how to do—that you don’t know how to do?

Learn more languages—like Swedish and German.

Okay, I received some questions from YA writers curious about teen relationships (ie dating). What do you think is the most challenging thing about relationships?

Being yourself.

What was the last movie you saw?

Jeff, Who Lives at Home

Favorite tv show or movie you can watch again and again?

The Invention of Lying

Tell me three songs you’re listening to on your iPod:

The More I See You ~ Michael Buble

The Way You Look Tonight ~ Michael Buble

Flavour ~Bare Noize

What’s your favorite snack?

Veggie straws

What did you eat for breakfast?

Nothing because I’m fasting for the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’ Av, but yesterday for breakfast I ate Frosted Cheerios.

I’m so hungry can we please not talk about food?

Okay, no more food talk. 🙂

Some quick-fire fill in the blanks:

I fear change.

I need clarity.

I hate homework.

I love singing.

So here’s a tiny snippet of G doing what he loves:

Thanks G!

Do you have any questions you want answered by teens in future Q & As? Or a question for Gavin? Let me know in the comments.

If not, how would you answer this quick fire fill in the blank? I need _____. (Seeing as it’s now Monday morning, I NEED COFFEE!)

I hope he’s enjoying Moby Dick, my kid is reading (or supposed to read) for school, but he’s having a hard time getting started – it’s between Sunrise over Fallujah, Mistaken Identity, or Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-Year Old GI… it is hard to pry him away from the lake, swimming, being with friends, or a multitude of distractions… I on the other hand love to read and am on my tenth or eleventh summer book….I agree with Natalie!

Same here–I always choose reading. Although I don’t know how I would’ve been had there been the internet when I was a teen! Sure TV was a distraction, but there wasn’t something on ALL the time, like it is now. Plus with YouTube it is endless.
Thanks for stopping by Clay!

I need to get out of my bathrob. I sat down to figure out a “problem” for a homework assignment and found myself wondering around the net. 🙂 Nice interview with G. This troll face is a new to me thing. Very interesting. I should begin practicing for when kiddo gets a little bigger.

That so happens to me too! I don’t like the feeling of being in my pjs all day, even if I do get stuff done, it still feels odd. 🙂
The troll thing is odd too isn’t it? But I bet there will probably be something else new and weird by the time your guy gets to his teen years!

Thanks August. So I asked him your questions and I’m assuming he’s still thinking of an answer for the first one, either that or the shrug was all I’m gonna get 🙂 But as for singing he said he’d love to sing with a big jazz ensemble and I know he’d also like to meet Michael Buble. 🙂

There are so many answers that popped into my head to fill in the blank… patience, coffee, sleep, answers, a clone, more time, money. Shall I go on? 🙂 Great to be getting in touch with the teen market. Thanks for sharing the love with the rest of us.

I was going to say that I need to have my 16 year old body cloned and successfully transplant my brain in it. But then I read Natalie’s answer, so I’m going to go with that one, because then I could just hire a team of experts to do it for me. (this is the way to go, Debra…that way you’ll have all the energy you need to get all the rest of what you want).

Loved the interview, Coleen! I love school orchestras, too. How nice that ‘G’ is such a talented young man. And he’s one up on me because I just could never get past the first few pages of that book. 🙂

I need…more hours in the day. Isn’t that a boring answer?!!! Maybe I should try to go deeper: I need…a purpose. Loved the interview! I haven’t heard of The Invention of Lying, so I’m going to check that out.

What a great kid. I bet he’s the life of the party and exceptionally talented. This series you started rocks, Coleen! It’s Thursday, but my word to fill in the blank is still the same – coffee! So original, huh?

Great interview, amazing faces, amazing voice. Always makes me so proud as you do in the way you express your thoughts. Way to go for both of you. G always puts a smile on my face. Sending hugs back to you both!